What Now?

By Phil Wood

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

                                                                                    – John 20:19-22

Well, we made it through. We made the many sacrifices we were called upon to make and endured the tribulations of this unusually difficult Lenten season of 2020. We put aside the things that normally distract us and, rediscovering the purpose of Lent, turned our eyes toward Jesus.  

We made it through Holy Week, remembering the washing of the feet and reflecting warmly on past Maundy Thursday services at our church when we lived out the love of Christ together.

We kept watch at Gethsemane, until we grew tired and fell asleep.

We tried to get our heads around the horror of the crucifixion, the agony of Christ forsaken, the grief, the loss, the disappointment.

We brought our sins and our sorrows, and laid them at the foot of the cross.

And finally, we celebrated the exhilaration of the resurrection – Christ's victory over death – and we proclaimed he's alive. He is risen! He is risen indeed!

But what now? Do we just go on with our lives like we always have? I don't think so. Not this year. Not ever again, I hope.

For the first disciples, it was all still raw and fresh as they huddled in the house with the doors locked, thinking it was over. Christ had just accomplished the most amazing feat in the history of the universe, but the world outside hadn't changed. The Jewish leaders were still out there, plotting their little plots and scheming their little schemes.

For us, more than 2000 years removed, it's hard to comprehend what those disciples were going through. But here we are huddled in our houses. Easter has come and gone, and the world outside hasn't changed. COVID-19 is still out there wreaking its havoc and sowing its paranoia.

For the early disciples something inexplicable happened that night in the house behind locked doors. Something was ignited. It spread throughout the known world, and throughout time all the way to this place and this time. The flame has not gone out.

The Holy Spirit, breathed on those first disciples, showed up again 50 days later as tongues of fire, touching and empowering many more disciples to speak the gospel in every language. (Acts 2) And again, at Caesarea, the Holy Spirit was poured out – "even on the Gentiles" – in one of the lesser-known "Pentacostal" events. (Acts 11) Throughout the book of Acts and throughout the writings of Christians through the ages we see evidence of the Holy Spirit at work.

The Holy Spirit is perhaps the least understood member of the Trinity. In Scripture the Spirit is described as wind, a dove, tongues of fire. The early Celtic Christians called the Holy Spirit "the wild goose." "And the reason why," according to John Eldridge, "is they knew you cannot tame him."

Who is the Holy Spirit? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives? What does a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led life look like? Questions worth exploring further.

"Filled with the Holy Spirit," the apostles went out and started a movement that has been bringing the love of Jesus Christ to a hurting world ever since.

So, is the story over for this year? Or is it just beginning?

"Peace be with you!"

Lord Jesus, breathe on us again, and may we receive the Holy Spirit. Send us to speak the gospel in every language. Help us become a Spirit-led people. In your holy name, amen.